Play activity 5 - weigh it up

This activity develops body awareness, manipulative skills, independent movement, communication skills.

What’s in the box?

• Gloves
• Velcro
• Wooden block
• Lego brick
• Plastic ball
• Rubber ball
• Cloth bag

Activities

• Place the gloves on the child’s hands
• Put all of the items into the bag
• Encourage the child to put their hand into the bag and see what they can pull out
• Once they have pulled out an object, let them explore the texture, shape and weight
• Talk about what the object is, its shape and whether it is heavy or light
• See if they can find the similar object

Moving on

• Place only two items that are similar in shape and size in the bag, for example, Lego block and wooden block
• Place a glove on each hand
• Compare the weights of the two items
• Do the same with the other pair of items

Observation and assessment

• Minimise distractions and allow the child time to explore objects
• If the objects are too heavy for the child to move, use lighter objects – ensuring that there is a significant difference in their weight
• Use mathematical language to demonstrate what you are doing
• Introduce objects of different shape or weight

Inclusion guide

• Encourage children to search for other objects and predict which will be the heavier before actually weighing them
• Complete gloves activity within a group with everyone taking a turn

How the weigh it up activity contributes to the Early Years Foundation Stage.